Vlastuin and Grimes have faded quickly. I don’t feel either have an Indian summer in them.
Tylar Young has been a rare bright spark in that back division. Baker and Rioli also look to be continuing their exciting trajectories.
Broad is still solid, Balta still developing from over-exuberant puppy into solid Rottweiler.
Gibcus will return. He can play tall and small.
That’s six - one veteran, three seasoned and two greenhorns.
We have Biggie, Banks, Brown, Bauer, Miller in reserve.
I think the stand rule and 666 has cruelled our backline since the 2020 flag. No point sifting through the ashes of our previous, premiership winning setup, but needless to say the ball comes into D50 with serious heat and regularity these days.
Looking at our stocks, I think we’re OK. Probably need medium-sized replacements for Broad and Vlastuin (how big can Banks/Brown get?).
The immediate question is what to do with Vlastuin and Grimes. If their respective form lines continue, they will cost us games. If finals are out of reach, that probably doesn’t matter much, but then again with no first round pick we are better off being as competitive as possible and preparing the 2024 mix.
On the solid body of evidence so far in 2023, I can’t see Vlastuin or Grimes being best 23 next year.
If we lose the next two games and their form doesn’t improve, Nick at least is in the gun. I think it is a shame Grimes cannot easily be dropped - the captaincy is just one of many footy decisions that have backfired this season.